Packaging machine for opening and filling pouch-type bags



y 7, 1968 J. MARCHAND 3,381,446

PACKAGING MACHINE FOR OPENING .AND FILLING POUCH-TYPE BAGS Filed March9, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Iil lur-illl llllliillll -l I N VEN TOR.

JACQUES MARCHAND IFFEOHEEXO IF nua'n113IB A TTORWEYS.

May 7, 1968 Filed March 9, 1966 J. MARCHAND PACKAGING MACHINE FOROPENING AND FILLING POUCH-TYPE BAGS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 JACQUES MARCHANDATTORNEYS.

May 7, 1968 J. MARCHAND 3,381,446

PACKAGING MACHINE FOR OPENING AND FILLING POUCHTYPE BAGS Filed March 9,l96

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

JACQUES MARCHAND Fran 24M ,fl mf aw ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent Office 3,381,446 Patented May 7, 1968 3,381,446PACKAGING MACHINE FOR UPENING AND l' llLlLllNG POUCH-TYPE BAGfi JacquesMarchand, Newark, NJ, assiguor to Roto American Corporation, Paramus,NJ. Filed Mar. 9, 1966, Ser. No. 541,430 8 Claims. (Cl. 53-187) ABSTRACTOF THE DISCLQSURE There is disclosed apparatus for making and fillingpouch-type bags. In sequence the bags are formed from a web, sealed onsides and bottom and cut into separate bags. Each bag is gripped onopposite seams by a pair of grippers which ride on a chain link andcooperate with cam surfaces in a track to pivot and thus open and closethe open mouth of the bags. A station is provided for a sector-shapedrotary knife to enter the bag and serve as a channel for a blast of airwhich opens it. The top edges of the bag are formed about the rotaryknife by guidance along a set of vacuum walls to open for carn entry andseal itself about the knife for confining the air blast in the bag. Aset of moving funnels follows the bags by means of a cam rail and dropinto the bags opened by the grippers to feed from the bottom while beinggradually withdrawn. The funnel tops are adjacent to permit simplemetering of materials from a continuous stream into the respectivetunnels, and dust is Withdrawn from around top bags when loading.

This invention relates to a packaging process and machinery, and moreparticularly to a process for opening and filling pouch-type bags by acontinuous operation and to a machine for carrying out the process.

The invention in certain of its aspects provides improvements over themethods and apparatus described in US. Patent No. 2,923,111, whichissued on Feb. 2, 1960. In order to understand the further advantagesprovided by the present invention, it is helpful to review briefly theoperation of the machine described in said patent. The packagingmaterial is fed with a continuous movement and is folded lengthwise as adouble strip which is sealed along the bottom and sealed transversely atintervals to form a series of connected bags having closed bottoms andtransverse seals arranged to provide the side seals of the pouch-typebags. These connected bags are severed individually at the transverseseals by a revolving knife mechanism which acts to kick or rapidly pushthe individual severed bag. In this way the individual bags becomespaced apart one from another as they enter into the bite of a pair ofside by side conveyor chains.

In the machine described in said patent these side by side conveyorchains engage the bottom sealed edge of each severed bag and convey thesevered bags past an opening station where the top edges of the bags arepulled apart by a pair of opposed suction cups. Each of these cupscirculates with an orbital movement so that they travel along a shortdistance with the continuously progrossing bag and are reciprocatedtoward its top edges and then move away from each other to pull the topedges apart. As the top edges of the bag are being pulled apart, thelower end of a filling funnel is moved down into the bag, and a streamof air is directed down through the funnel to aid in opening the bag.The funnels are carried by an overhead endless conveyor chain, and theymove continuously one with each bag past one or more filling stations,while a metered quantity of the filling product material is depositedthrough the funnel into the bag at each station as the bag continues itsmovement.

After being filled the bags are sealed at the top to form a closedpackage.

The present invention provides numerous improve ments and advantagesover the methods and apparatus described in said patent for handling andfilling pouchtype bags. Among these advantages are those resulting fromthe fact that the bag can be gripped and held at points positionedrelatively high up on the leading and trailing edges of the bag and thatvarious sizes of bags can be handled and filled. Moreover, regardless ofthe depth or width of the bags being handled, each of them is grippedand held at the same distance below the top edges of the bag. Inaddition, the gripping and holding mechanism enables the top edges ofthe bag to be slackened or to be pulled taut, as may be desired duringthe handling and filling operations. Also, this enables the top edges ofthe bag to be pulled taut and parallel in readiness for sealing the topedges after the bag has been filled. This invention enables gas underpressure to be fed into the bag and to be confined therein forinternally pressurizing the bag so as to open it fully clear down to thebottom and out to both bottom corners, so that the full capacity of thebag is made available for subsequent filling. The opposed suction cupsdescribed in said patent did not assure complete opening of the bag, andthe contents tended to remain localized in a clump near the centralregion so that the resulting package had a bulging shape with manypronounced wrinkles. Whereas, this invention provides for more completefilling of each bag and thus results in a more efficient utilization ofthe packaging material and a neat, commercially attractive filled bag isproduced.

Among the advantages provided by the bag opening and filling process andapparatus of the: present invention are those resulting from the factthat this invention assures that each bag becomes fully opened cleardown to the bottom seal and out to the extreme lower corners of the bag.Moreover, this complete opening of the bag is produced regardless of thestiffness of the material. With bags having gusseted bottoms, theprocess and apparatus being claimed serve to open the gusset fully outto each lower corner, thus making the full capacity of the bag availablefor filling with the product. In addition, the product is introducedinto each bag by being confined and guided down and released initiallyinto the lower corners of the bag, so that the bag is progressivelyfilled from the bottom corners up to the top. Thus, advantageously theresulting filled package has a uniform thickness rather than bulging outaround a single central clump of the material. This process andapparatus enables very finely powdered products and liquid products tobe handled cleanly and efficiently as well as granular materials.

In accordance with the process of the present invention in one of itsaspects the top of the bag is pre-opened and then is held in enclosedrelationship about a source of pressurized gas which fills the bag withgas confined in the bag under pressure. Thus, the bottom and center ofthe bag becomes fully expanded clear out to the bottom and side seals inreadiness for reception of the product.

Then, the top of the bag is reopened and a product confining guide chuteis inserted down to the bottom of the bag and is progressively withdrawnas the product progressively fills the bag beginning in the two lowercorners. The bag is filled to capacity and the resulting package has auniformly thick appearance. This uniform fullness of each bag providesthe additional advantages of facilitating subsequent packing of the bagsin a container such as a box or carton. According to the presentinvention in another of its aspects the metering of the product materialis provided by the continuous movement of overlapping funnels past themouth of a discharge nozzle. Thus, the amount of product which enterseach funnel is a function of the rate of feed of the product from thedispensing nozzle times the length of time that each funnel remainsbeneath the nozzle.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved process andapparatus for opening and filling pouch-type bags by a continuous set ofoperations.

Other objects, aspects and important features of the invention will bein part pointed out and in part will become apparent from aconsideration of this specification with the accompanying drawings,which together show a presently preferred embodiment of the invention,and what is now considered to be the best mode of practicing theprinciples thereof.

In the drawings wherein each reference number indicates the samerespective part throughout:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a bag-opening and filling machinefor carrying out the process of preopening the bag for internalpressurization to expand fully the lower part of the bag and then foropening the bag to insert a chute for completely and uniformly fillingthe opened bag from the bottom up with a metered amount of product;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the machine of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view on enlarged scale of the adjustablechute insertion cam track, which is seen also in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view on enlarged scale of the bagpre-opening and top enclosing station wherein gas is introduced and isconfined in the bag under pressure to open the bag fully down to bothlower corners;

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the machine station in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged sectional view of a revolving member andassociated apparatus for introducing the confined gas under pressure inthe pre-opened and top enclosed bags;

FIGURE 7 is a side elevational view of the tip portion of a telescopingchute which enters the pre-opened bag for confining and guiding theproduct material into the bags;

FIGURE 8 is an elevational view of this tip portion as seen from thedirection 88 in FIGURE 7;

FIGURES 9, 10 and 11 are sequential views showing the progressive anduniform filling of the pouch-type bag;

FIGURE 12 is a top plan view of chain-carried clamps which grip theleading and trailing edges of a pouch;

FIGURE 13 is a plan view similar to FIGURE 12 and showing the rear clampmoved forwardly relative to the front clamp for relaxing the mouth ofthe bag;

FIGURES 13A and B are enlarged views of the jaw gripping mechanisms;

FIGURE 14 is a cross sectional view shown on enlarged scale taken alongthe line 14-14 in FIGURE 1 showing the effective entrapment and removalof any fine product dust which may become air-borne during the fillingoperation.

Referring particularly to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, in the process ofthe present invention the pouch-type bags P are continuously advanced asindicated by the arrow 20. The individual pouches are initiallypre-opened and reclosed at a pre-opening station which is generallyindicated by the reference number 21. Immediately thereafter the pouchbags P are again opened at an opening station 22, and the tip portion ofa filling chute is inserted at this station 22 and continues to movedown into the pouch. The filling station, generally indicated by thereference number 23 extends for a substantial distance in the directionof travel, beginning at the position 23A and continuing on to theposition 23B.

After the bag has been filled, it continues moving in the direction andis suitably closed at the top and is sealed across the top by sealingmechanism which does not form a part of this invention; for example thistop sealing mechanism may be similar to that shown in the Patent No.2,923,111.

In this illustrative embodiment the pouches P are formed of metal foilcoated with a heat scalable plastic, and the bottom edge 24 of the bagis gusseted, as seen in FIGURE 9. To convey each of the pouches P, thereare respective pairs of front and rear bag clamps 25 and 26 for grippingand holding the front and rear edges of the bag at a level, dependingupon the depth of the bag, which is located approximately one-twelfth toone-third of the way down along the front side seam 27 and at the samelevel on the rear side seam 28. In this example the clamps are locatedthree-fourths to one inch below the top edge. These clamps serve to gripthe front and rear side seams firmly so as to hold the pouch P tightly.The respective clamps 25 and 26 include front and rear brackets 29 and30 mounted upon slide blocks 31 and 32 which are connected into and forma part of revolving chain means 33. Each of the slide blocks 31 and 32has a length equal to threee links 34 of the chain means so as toprevent the blocks from cocking and thus to provide a stable mountingfor the clamps 25 and 26. These slide blocks 31 and 32 are guided bystationary ways 35 (FIG. 1) extending along the machine through thevarious stations. The front bracket 29 is rigidly secured to the slideblock 31 so that it remains fixed in position perpendicular to themoving chain means. The rear bracket 30 is pivotally secured to itsslide block by a pivot pin 36 so that the rear clamp 26 can be swungforwardly as shown in FIGURE 13 by a cam follower roller 40 whichengages with a cam track 39 so as to slacken the top edges of the pouchP.

The individual bags P are fed along in position to be gripped by therespective clamps 25 and 26 by conveyor means synchronized in motionwith the movement of these clamps. For example, in said Patent No.2,923,111, the individual empty bags are conveyed along in spacedrelationship between a pair of side by side conveyor chains, which gripthe bottom seal of the bag, with the side seams 27 and 28 beingaccessible to be gripped by the respective clamps 25 and 26. Theparticular gripping mechanism in the clamps and the Way in which it isactuated will be described in detail further below.

As each empty pouch P is conveyed ahead, its top edges are pre-openedand then the top edges are enclosed about a source of pressurized gaswhich fills the bag with gas 43 (FIG. 6) confined in the bag underpressure to open it fully all the way down. These steps are carried outin the pre-opening station 21 as shown in FIGURES 4, 5, and 6. The topedges of the bag pass between a pair of vacuum shoes 44 which areidentical mirror images. These vacuum shoes 44 include cover plates 45which abut against each other along a joint 46. A narrow slot 47 isformed at the center of the joint 46, and a revolving pressure sourceblade member 48 projects down through this slot. This blade member 48 isgenerally sector shaped and is fastened to a rotating drive shaft 49which is journaled in a support bearing 50. A supply line 51 for gasunder pressure, which is here shOWn as air, is connected through apassage 52 in a block 53, and this passage 52 communicates through alateral opening with the bore 54 of a hollow inner fixed pin 55 havingan axially elongated valve port 56 in its lower surface.

In the revolving member 48 is a radial passage 57 which opens outthrough its arcuate perimeter and the inner end of this passage 57 isenlarged and communicates with an axially elongated port 58 of a bushing58a which is press fitted into the hollow hub of the revolving blade 48.This bushing 58a rotates around the hollow pin 55. Thus, the rotationcreates its own valving action once each revolution, and compressed airwhich is fed in through the connection 51 issues at 43 from the mouth ofthe passage 57 only when the valve ports 56 and 58 are aligned as shownin FIGURE 4. The leading edge 59 of the revolving member 48 is sharpenedto facilitate entry between the top edges of the pouch, so that thepressurized gas flow 43 opens the bottom of the bag and spreads out thegusseted bottoms 24 out to the lower corners 60.

Below the cover plate 45, the vacuum shoes 44 define a convergingentrance 61 by which the top edges of the pouch P are guided into achannel 62. This channel 62 widens out at 63 before reaching the spacebelow the revolving member 48, and the diverging Walls of this channelcontain a plurality of suction ports 64 which communicate with a pair ofheader passages 65 in the respective shoes 44. These header passages 65are drilled into the shoes, being plugged at 66, and a suction line 67connected to passages 68 in the block 53 maintains a pressure belowatmospheric within the headers 65.

Thus, as the top edges of the bag slide along the diverging channelwalls at 63, the suction ports 64 draw them apart. After the leadingedge 27 has passed below the region of the slot 47, it encounters aconverging region 64a of the channel 62 which recloses the leading edgesof the pouch. This reclosure of the leading edge of the bag inconjunction with the top cover plates 45 and the narrow clearancebetween the slot 47 and the revolving member 48 provides a relativelysecure gas-tight enclosure about the top of the pouch.

At this instant the pouch P occupies the position shown in FIGURES 4 and5, and the revolving member 48, which is synchronized in its rotationwith the passage of the clamps 25 and 26, has its perimeter within thetop of the pouch and effectively seals the slot 47 while supplying ablast 43 of gas under pressure which is confined within the pouch by theshoes 44 and cover plates 45 and serves to open it fully.

The pouch becomes reclosed in the region 70 of the channel 62 and thenis again opened by the diverging side walls 71 which contain suctionports 72 communicating with suction headers 73 having plugged ends 74. Asuction line 75 communicates through drilled passages 76 in the block 53to maintain reduced pressure within the headers 73 so that the top edgesof the pouch cling to the walls 71 and are opened as the pouch advances.

It is noted that the suction pressure which is supplied to thepro-opening ports 64 may be set at a different value from that appliedto the main opening ports 72 because the suction lines 67 and 75 areseparate as are the respective header passages 65 and 73. The suctionvalues which are used depend upon the stiffness of the packagingmaterial and the size of the pouches P. In most cases it is desirable touse only a moderate amount of suction, sufficient to assure pie-openingand final opening of the pouch, without creating undue clinging actionand consequent friction on the walls of the channel 62 near the ports 64and 72.

The cover plates 45 are cut away to form a V-opening above the divergingwalls 71 so that the top of the bag is accessible as it is being openedto receive the chisel tip 77 of a descending product chute 78. Thestructure of this chisel tip 77 and the lower end of the chute 78 isshown in detail in FIGURES 7 and 8. The way in which the lower endportions of the chutes 78 enter into the respective advancing pouches Pis seen in FIGURE 1. These chutes serve to introduce the productmaterial into the pouches in the filling station 23, as will beexplained.

The product is supplied in a continuous stream 79 from a dischargenozzle 80 which contains a rotating feedscrew or anger 81 so that asteady stream of the product issues from this nozzle. This productmaterial may be liquid, granular or powdered, and the process of thepresent invention will handle any of these three different types ofproducts. In this example the product 79 being handled is powdered andcontains some fine dust. Passing beneath the nozzle 80 are a series offunnels 84 which progress in the direction at the same speed as thepouches P.

Each of these funnels 84 has a ridged lip 83 projecting over theadjacent edge of the next successive funnel and has upwardly extendingwalls 85. Thus, as the tunnels pass beneath the nozzle the productstream 79 falls into the funnels and none can fall between them. Theridged lip 83 has an inverted V shape serving as dividing slopes, andtherefore the same quantity of product goes into each funnel 84. Theamount of this product is controlled by the rate of the feedscrew 81 andby the time of passage of each funnel beneath the nozzle 8! This is anefficient, effective and convenient system for metering the quantity ofproduct into each funnel 334. The position of the nozzle 86 is adjustedby a handwheel and feedscrew 82 as shown in FIGURE 1 depending upon thedesired speed 20 of the pouches P so as to allow for the elapsed time offalling of the product 7% down through each chute 78.

As seen most clearly in FIGURE 2, these funnels 84 are secured bybrackets 86 to a revolving chain 87 driven by two main sprockets 88. Toguide the funnels 84 in the filling station 23, the brackets 86 containa lower notch 39 (FIG. 1) which engages upon and slides along the top ofa track 90. The sprockets 88 are mounted upon vertical main shafts 91,and there is a similar set of sprockets further down on these shaftscarrying another revolving chain similar to the chain 87. This lowerchain carries brackets 92, and a pair of vertical guide rods 93 extendupwardly from each bracket 92 to the corresponding upper bracket 86.

The chutes 78 are tubular in configuration and include an upper section78-1 opening into the vertex of the funnels 34 and a lower section 78-2which; closely telescopes around the upper section. The upper chutesection 78-1 is rigidly attached to the funnel vertex, and the lowerchute section 78-2 is secured to a traveller slide block '94- whichslides up and down along the guides 93 and which surrounds the upperchute section 78-17 The cam track 96 (FIGS. 1 and 3) controls the up anddown movement of the traveller 94 and includes a pair of rails 97 with alongitudinal cam channel 98 therebetween. There is a projecting camfollower (not shown) on the back of each traveller 94, and this camfollower engages in the cam Way 98.

The cam track 96 includes a descending section 96-1 and an ascendingsection 96-2, each having projecting lugs 99 pivotally connected at 100to a junction block 191. This junction block 161 is verticallyadjustable, being secured by bolts engaging in a slot 102 in the machineframe 103, and the block lttl includes a cam way 194 which telescopeswith and interconnects the two track sections 96-1 and 96-2.

It is noted that the two ends of the cam channel 104 are concentricabout the pivots 106 and are directly aligned with the cam channel 98.Thus, there is a smooth transition between the cam Ways 93 and 104regardless of the adjusted height of the junction block 101. Similarly,the upper ends of the two track sections 96- and 96-2 telescope with endsections 196 which are pivoted to the frame 163 by means of pivots 107so that there is a smooth transition with the fixed cam channels 98a.This block 191 is adjusted by a handwheel and feedscrew to a positionsuch that the tip 77 of the chute is deeply inserted, as shown in FIGURE9, for example down near to the bottom seal 24 of the pouch P.

As shown in FIGURES 7 and 8, the lower chute section 78-2 terminates ina chisel tip 77 having a pair of upwardly diverging plane surfaces 163which intersect along a line at the tip extending parallel with themaximum plane of the pouch P. These Wall surfaces 108 diverge out at thetop to the full diameter of the lower chute section 78-2. A pair ofdischarge ports 1&9 open out along the front and rear edges of thechisel tip between the diverging surfaces 166. An inverted 'V-shapefillet 111i spans between the diverging walls 168. The smooth eX- teriorsurfaces of the lower chute section enable it to penetrate into thepouch easily without catching.

Thus, advantageously the product 79 issues in two streams directed intothe lower corners 69 of the pouch. As the lower chute section iswithdrawn the product uniformly fills the package out to the two edgeseams 27 and 28. The top of the package is left empty to provide forsealing between the top edges thereof.

As the product enters the pouch P it displaces the air, and any dust 111which may be present tends to rise out of the package. An air flow 112entraps any such dust and sweeps the dust into a removal duct 113 havinga traylike surface 113a to catch dust. This air flow 112 is created by apressure manifold 114 having an elongated orifice 115 which extendsparallel with and directly opposite a funnel opening 116 in the suctionduct 113. The plus and minus signs indicate the respective pressuresabove and below atmospheric. The two orifices 115 and 116 are closelyadjacent to the top edges 117 of the pouch P, being just above and justbelow these edges, respectively.

In order to slacken the top edges 117 of the pouch as shown in FIGURE 13for insertion of the pressure source member 48 and for insertion of thelower chute section 78-2 the cam track means 39 includes appropriatelypositioned sloping faces 118 (FIG. 12) and straight sections 119 (FIG.13) engaging the follower roller 4-0.

As illustrated by the legends in FIGURE 4 the cam track mean 39 isarranged to slacken the top edges 117 as the pouch P passes along thediverging channel section 63 and along the diverging walls 117, withmore slack being provided for penetration of the lower chute section.The spring 38 is allowed by the cam track means 39 to pull the rearclamp to tighten the top edges 117 immediately after the air 43 has beenintroduced. It will be understood that the legends Slack, Taut, Slack,More Slack in FIGURE are intended to indicate the sequence and toindicate the general location in which these respective actuations ofthe follower roller 40 occur in this machine, but these locations areonly generally indicated and they may be lengthened out or shorteneddepending upon the particular pouch size being handled. Also, after thebag has passed the end of the filling station 2313, again the top edges117 are pulled taut by the spring 38 so that the edges are parallel andadjacent ready for sealing.

The clamps 25 and 26 each include similar swingable clamp jaw elements120, as shown in FIGURES 13A and B which are controlled by links 121pivoted to movable members 122 which are pivoted at 123 to therespective brackets 29 and 30 to provide a toggle clamp. A spring 124closes the jaw elements 120, and a cam follower roller 125 controlsthese clamps. The jaw element 12% has a U-shaped cross section as seenin FIGURE 13B and is pivoted at 126 to the respective brackets 29 and30. The gripping surface is defined by a small tiltable block 127 havinga roughened surface 128, and this block 127 is mounted on a chamferedsurface at 129 and held by a headed, loosely fitting stud 130 in aprojecting end of the element 120. Thus, the jaw block 127 can tiltslightly so that the gripping surface 128 aligns itself with theopposing jaw surface to provide a very secure grip.

When the jaw is closed, the toggle 121, 122 is near its dead centerposition so that this toggle multiplies the force of the spring 124several times. The roller 125 can readily open the jaw because it isconnected to one of the toggle elements.

In order to adjust conveniently for different widths of bags, the chainmeans 33 may include two separate chains travelling closely adjacent andparallel one to the other at the same constant rate of speed. The frontslide blocks 31 are included in one chain, and the rear slide blocks 32are included in the other chain. By changing the relative longitudinalposition of one of the chains relative to the other, the distancebetween the respective clamps 25 and 26 is increased or decreased asdesired to accommodate wider or narrower bags. When the follower rollers125 are being actuated to open the respective clamps 25 and 26, then theslack-taut control roller 40 is engaged and suitably restrained by thecam track means 39 so as to prevent the rear bracket 31 from tiltingwhen it is not supposed to tilt.

In this machine the leading clamps 25 may be mounted upon a chain whichis adjustable in position relative to a second chain which carries therear clamps 26 so as to accommodate wider or narrower pouches. Thisadjustment of the position of one clamp relative to the other changesthe position of the vertical centerline of the pouches. To maintain thechutes 78-2 directly aligned with the vertical centerline of therespective pouches into which they are intended to penetrate, therelative positions of the respective upper and lower chute chains 37 maybe adjusted forwardly or backwardly as required to keep the desiredalignment.

Other embodiments of the invention may be suggested to those having thebenefit of the teachings herein, and it is therefore intended that thescope of the invention not be limited by the precise embodiment shownand described, the scope of the invention being intended to be limitedonly by the breadth and spirit of the claims.

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used in adescriptive and not a limiting sense, and I have no intention ofexcluding such equivalent of the invention described as fall within thescope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for forming and filling a flowing sequence of receptaclesformed into pouch-type bags having a closed bottom, open top and a pairof side seams comprising in combination, a conveyance way for guidingthe bags along a path and a pair of grippers passed along saidconveyance way spaced to grasp opposite outside edges of the bag nearthe open top at the two side seams and to convey them along the path,said grippers including camming means, and further camming means placedalong said path operable with the camming means on said grippers to movethe sides of the bags closer together and further apart at differentstations in synchronism with operations such as opening, filling andsealing the bags in said apparatus, suction means engageable with thetop edges of each successive bag moving along said path for drawing themapart, a revolving member insertable between the top edges of each bagand having a gas passage therein communicating with the interior of thebag when the revolving member is inserted between said top edges, asource of pressurized gas communicating with said passage, and anenclosure enclosing said top edges and said revolving member forconfining the gas in the interior of said bag by virtue of all of whichthe pressurized gas is confined in each bag in sequence for opening theinterior of each bag completely down to the bottom.

2. Apparatus for opening pouch-type bags as claimed in claim 1, in whichsaid suction means comprise a pair of opposed shoes defining a channeltherebetween engageable with the outside surfaces of the top edges ofthe bag, said channel having a diverging portion with suction ports inthe diverging walls of the channel for drawing the top edges apart, asuction source communicating with said suction ports, and said revolvingmember is aligned with said channel following said diverging portion forinsertion between said top edges after their separation.

3. Apparatus for opening pouch-type bags as claimed in claim 2, in whicha cover extends across said channel above the top edges of the bag, saidcover having an opening therein closely fitting about said revolvingmember, and said cover and channel enclosing said top edges for sealingthe pressurized gas within the bags.

4. Apparatus for opening pouch-type bags as claimed in claim 3, in whichsaid channel has a converging portion following said revolving member,and a second diverging portion thereafter having suction ports in thediverging walls of the channel for drawing the top edges apart againafter the bottom of the bag has been opened, by virtue of which the bagis fully opened from top to bottom in readiness for filling.

5. Apparatus for opening pouch-type bags as claimed in claim 4, in whichsaid second diverging portion of the channel is open at the top, aplurality of product guiding means, second conveyor means conveying saidproduet guiding means along above the path of said bags, control meansinserting the lower end of said product guiding means down into the bagafter the top edges of the bag have been opened by said suction portsalong the Walls of said second diverging portion of the channel, andproduct supplying means for supplying product into said product guidingmeans, by virtue of all of which the bags are completely opened and thenare filled by said product.

6. Apparatus for opening and filling pouch-type bags which have topedges, a closed bottom, and a pair of side seams comprising a conveyorfor holding the bags and conveying them along a path, said conveyorincluding chain means extending along near said path, a plurality ofpairs of front and rear clamps mounted on said chain means for grippingthe respective side seams of each bag to convey the bags along saidpath, each pair of front and rear clamps including a front and a rearslide block, each slide block having a length equal to a plurality oflinks of said chain, a front and a rear bracket secured to therespective slide block and extending therefrom, a jaw element pivotallysecured to each of said brackets and swingable between an open and aclamping position, a movable control member pivotally secured to each ofsaid brackets for controlling the jaw element, a link pivotallyinter-connecting the control member and jaw element on each bracketforming a toggle linkage, spring means connected between the controlmember and bracket holding said jaw element in its clamping position asthe toggle linkage nears its dead-center position for multiplying theforce of said spring means when said jaw element is clamping the sideseam of a bag, a camfollower element on said control member for movingsaid member against the force of said spring means to open said jawelement, means for separating the top edges of the bags as they areconveyed along said path, and funnel guiding means having a lower endinsertable between said top edges for guiding a product to be packagedinto the bag.

'7. Apparatus for opening and filling pouch-type bags as claimed inclaim 6, including product dust catching means extending along saidpath, said dust catching means comprising a pressure manifold extendingalong one side or" said path having an opening near the level of the topedges of the bags, and a suction duct extending along the other side ofsaid path having a tray surface to catch dust and a suction intake nearsaid tray surface.

3. Apparatus for opening and filling pouch-type bags as claimed in claim6 including a cam track controlling the insertion of said funnel guidingmeans into the respective bags as they are being conveyed by the pairsof front and rear clamps, said cam track having a downwardly extendingportion and an upwardly extending portion with junction meansinterconnecting the lower ends of said track portions, and adjustmentmeans for adjusting the vertical position of said junction means foradjusting the depth to which said funnel guiding means are inserted intothe bags.

References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS 706,651 3/1965 Canada.

TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner. E. F. DESMOND, Assistant Examiner.

